


Why I Should Have a Pet Turtle. By: Stanley Raymond Kowalski, Age Seven

by Bluehaven4220



Category: due South
Genre: Animal Friends, Friendship, Gen, Origin Story, Ray is industrious when he's motivated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-28 18:45:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11423910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluehaven4220/pseuds/Bluehaven4220
Summary: Ray put his pizza crust on his plate lying on the floor. “She’s very smart, picks up on how I am with people. She wasn't sure about Stella for a really long time. Bit her finger a few times before she figured out that I liked the woman, didn’t you?” Ray chuckled. “But you? Nah, don't worry Ben, you're in for sure.”“I'm glad to hear it,” Ben nodded, moving to pet the turtle’s shell. “Although I am a little curious. Most children often ask for a dog or a cat as a pet. What made you choose a turtle?”





	Why I Should Have a Pet Turtle. By: Stanley Raymond Kowalski, Age Seven

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ButterflyGhost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButterflyGhost/gifts).



> How I picture a young Ray Kowalski came to have a turtle as a pet
> 
> Special thanks to ButterflyGhost for giving me this plot bunny. 
> 
> Currently unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine

If there was ever a sentence Ray never thought he’d say, it’d be something along the lines of “Dief, you remember Pineapple. Don’t eat her.”

He’d had Pineapple as a pet for over thirty years, starting when he was seven. He could still remember the day he’d brought her home, and how tiny she had been. He’d cradled her in his hands the whole way home, with his dad carrying the tank and his mum carrying the bag with all the accessories. It had taken them at least twenty minutes longer to get home that day, but he hadn’t cared. He’d worked hard to convince his parents that he could take care of a turtle, especially since they’d said they’d think about it,  _ if  _ he kept his room clean until the end of the school year, made a B- in math class,  _ and  _ wrote them a letter explaining why he wanted a turtle, and how he would take care of it. He had until the end of May, when report cards came in the mail, to have it all done. Looking back now, it was a lot to ask of a kid.

Well, for over six months, Stanley Raymond Kowalski had picked up, vacuumed and dusted his bedroom every Saturday afternoon, spent hours studying his math, and wrote letter after letter to his parents like they’d asked, explaining how he’d take care of a turtle and researching what kind of habitat they needed if they were going to be a pet. He’d gone to the library and sat down with the librarian, Mrs. Leamington, researching the proper foods to feed them (he saw that they liked strawberries as treats, which was cool because he liked them too), and the proper tank they needed to live in (it was called a terrarium), and the proper way to clean them. He also discovered that they needed exercise outside their terrarium, and that if he put up a few barriers like you would for a puppy, a turtle could walk around the house and not be any trouble, as long as you kept an eye on them.

Ray wrote all of this down as neatly as he could, and stapled his final letter (and his report card with that hard earned B- in math) to the report titled “Why I Should Have a Pet Turtle”, and, like the good little son he was, on May 30th, presented it to his Mum and Dad.

They’d been very impressed. They told him that, because he’d obviously put a lot of work into pulling up his math marks, and researching the proper way to care for a turtle, he had earned it.

So, two weeks later, on June 12th, Ray had gone to the pet store with his parents, and picked up a terrarium, sand and shells, water filters, food, a heat lamp, and finally, he got to pick out his own baby turtle.

He spent a good half an hour watching the turtle hatchlings swim in the tank, seeing how they moved, how they played, who was already growing… and then he saw her.

The hatchling that would grow up to become Pineapple was minding her own business on a big rock just under the heat lamp. She was the smallest in the tank, which made Ray think of how small he was, especially with his big glasses and funny hair.

“That's the one,” he pointed, looking at his Mum. “I'd like… her? Is it a girl?” He remembered from his research that hatchlings had an opening on the underside of their tail, and if the opening was rounder and more star shaped, it was a girl. Even if he couldn't  _ see  _ the opening, the little  animal just didn't  _ look  _ like a boy turtle.

“Yes, you're right,” the store manager answered. “We checked all the hatchlings when we moved them into the tank. She's a girl, but she's a little small. The vet thinks she might be the runt. Are you sure you want to take her home?”

“She's small like me,” Ray shrugged. “I’ll take good care of her, even when she gets bigger.”

“I'm sure you will,” the manager smiled, and very gently lifted the turtle off the rock and walked over to the counter. When his Dad had paid for the turtle and all the accessories, the manager put the turtle in Ray’s hands.  “But just be careful not to pick her up too much. Turtles will often urinate if they’re surprised like that.”

“I’ll be careful,” Ray answered, remembering that ‘urinate’ was the correct word for ‘pee’. Oh yeah, he’d be very careful. Beaming with pride, he’d said thank you to the manager and cradled his new pet in his hands all the way to the car.

“Please drive slowly, Dad,” he'd said as they put the tank and bags in the back seat and Ray climbed into the front, squished between his parents. He remembered trembling with excitement at getting the turtle home and setting everything up in her tank. He'd put her in a big bowl of water and let her swim while he and his dad set up her new home.

Ray could remember being extraordinarily happy when his dad had finally said “Alright Stanley, her tank’s all ready. Time for her to move in.” And he had very gently lifted her out of the bowl and lowered her onto the rock, then watched and watched as she moved toward the water.

He pulled the chair in close and rested his chin on top of the dresser in his room, where they'd decided he could keep the turtle. He watched her swim back and forth, then pull herself up onto her rock under her heat lamp to rest.

“She got a name, son?”

Ray turned his head, smiling. “Pineapple.”

His dad made a face.

“Why do you want to call her Pineapple?”

He shrugged. “The library books said that turtles like fruits and vegetables that you can take on a picnic as treats, so I thought… I dunno, Pineapple seems like a good name.”

His dad had given him a quick smile. “Well you earned her, son. Pineapple seems happy already. Good job.” He clapped him on the shoulder and went back out toward the living room.

Pineapple had moved with him to college, when he’d dropped out and joined the Academy, when he'd moved in with Stella, and into his current apartment after the divorce. Pineapple had seen a lot of turmoil, but also a lot of happy times. And today, with Ben and Dief moving in, it was definitely a happy day. He’d brought Pineapple out of her terrarium for exercise after they'd put everything away, and she'd joined them as they all sat on the floor while they ate pizza and strawberries. 

“Hi Pineapple…” Ray very carefully pet the turtle on her head before moving to stroke her under her chin. “You were a very good girl today.” He kept one eye on Dief as he approached and sat down. Ray also noticed that Ben had his hand in Dief’s fur, holding him still. “Thanks for coming to say hi to Ben and Dief.” He picked up a piece of strawberry and held it to her mouth. She snapped it up and chewed. “Good girl,” he repeated.

“She's really a gorgeous turtle, Ray,” Ben interjected. “How old did you say she is?”

“Nearly thirty, give or take,” Ray answered as Pineapple went completely still, apparently sizing Dief up, deciding whether she thought Dief was worth her time. “I got her when she was a hatchling. She’s just didn’t really grow too big because she was the runt.” Pineapple and Dief were still staring at each other, the wolf giving her a low key growl. “Hey hey, you've met each other before. Be nice. This Pineapple is not Dief food.”

“Dief, down.” Ben pushed on Dief’s shoulders, and Dief took the hint. He then looked directly at Pineapple, because of course Ben would talk directly to her. “Thank you very much for allowing us to stay, Pineapple. Please know that Ray is a very good friend, and we are very happy to be living here now.”

Pineapple very slowly made her way over to Ben, and stared at him.

Ray smiled. “You can try petting her, Ben. But be sure to keep your hand in front of her so she can see what you're doing.”

Ben nodded. “As you wish, Ray,” Ben did as Ray asked, and smiled as Pineapple made a happy sound. “Hmm, I think she likes me.”

“I think so too,” Ray put his pizza crust on his plate lying on the floor. “She’s very smart, picks up on how I am with people. She wasn't sure about Stella for a really long time. Bit her finger a few times before she figured out that I liked the woman, didn’t you?” Ray chuckled. “But you? Nah, don't worry Ben, you're in for sure.”

“I'm glad to hear it,” Ben nodded, moving to pet Pineapple’s shell. “Although I am a little curious. Most children often ask for a dog or a cat as a pet. What made you choose a turtle?”

“Wasn't a big fan of dogs or cats when I was younger.”

Dief whuffled at him.

“I said when I was younger, fur face,” Ray scratched him behind the ears. “I was a scrawny, awkward looking kid with big glasses and crazy hair. No one really wants to be friends with the weird kid.”

The look on Ben’s face told Ray that he knew exactly what that felt like.

“So really, I just wanted a friend. I wrote that in my letter to my parents too. Reason 100 for why I should have a pet turtle: I want a friend to come home to when Mum and Dad are working.”

“You were barely over seven years old, Ray. Are you saying your parents left you home alone?”

“Nah, not till I was a little over twelve,” Ray shrugged. “It just sucked coming home after school and not having anything to do. And by then, I had a few friends. Lost touch, haven’t seen any of them in  _ years _ , but let me tell ya, Pineapple was a good icebreaker.” Ray paused to take a breath. “Truth be told, Ben, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had, besides Pineapple, that is.”

Ben smiled, moved back along the floor, got up, and went to sit beside Ray. The simple gesture said more than words could have.

Ray leaned into Ben’s shoulder. “Thanks Ben.”

“Me too Ray,” he answered as they sat watching Dief and Pineapple get better acquainted. “I'm lucky to know you, and I’m honoured to be your friend.”

It was the best thing Ray had heard in a very long time.


End file.
